I try to take certain opportunities to taste new food items. This weekend, I spied a salad on the restaurant menu that had golden beets and polenta croutons. I knew and liked the rest of the ingredients in the salad, so that was the perfect time to try two new things I hadn’t had before. The beets weren’t bad, although I’m not going to be craving them anytime soon, and that might have had more to do with the preparation than the actual beet. The polenta croutons? Yum.
Last year, while at a moms’ night out, the restaurant we visited served edamame as a snack in the beginning of the meal. It was my first time for edamame, and I was hooked. Addicting little suckers, they’re quick to deshell and pop in your mouth. Not a strong taste at all, it’s a mild little bite. I thought the kids might think it was fun to try to get the pods out of the shell, so I kept an eye out for them at the grocery store the next time I went. They were harder to find than I thought! (I have since learned that Costco sells them sometimes too, so that’s another good resource)
The first time I put them on the dinner table, I got suspicious glances all around. I mean, really, they’re green, so it must be a vegetable, right? And vegetables are sometimes harder sells than they need to be. I showed them (and The Husband) how to pop the pods out, gave everyone their own small pile and they went to town. All of them. One after another popped into their mouths, the piles replenished and the stash quickly diminishing. Halfway through, I suggested a contest to see who eats the most.
Sometimes it’s how you present something. Sometimes it’s how something looks. Or what it’s called. Sometimes, as in this case, it’s the fun factor. Whatever the reason, this is exactly why we have the “you have to try one bite before you make up your mind about liking it or not” rule. They all discovered that edamame isn’t too bad. A little salt sprinkled on the top after steaming them and away we go.
Edamame is a soybean that contains protein and omega-3 fatty acids, so it’s a fun little snack with a nice health kick to boot. So do you edamame?
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Yep. I LOVE Edamame! I keep a box of frozen edamame from Costco on hand at all times. They’re especially good if you have nice big course salt!
I’ve bought it at Trader Joe’s. They have it cooked and uncooked in the freezer section.
I love the name of your blog and thank you so much for stopping by!
yes, they are amazing. my little one loves them too. i often find them in the frozen section.
I’ve never had it. It sounds interesting though.
I adore edamame! So much fun to eat, even for adults. Leave it to Maddie to win the eating contest. What a trooper!
Oriental grocery stores sell them. Don’t know if you have any in your area.
In the Japanese resturarants, people usually sprinkle soy sauce over the pods. They place the whole pod in their mouth and squeeze the bean out with their teeth.
Ramona
Love edamame….if you can find the already shelled version (sometimes Asian supermarkets have them) they are a great addition to stir fries.
Mmm. I love edamame. I buy it at Trader Joe’s in the freezer section. I haven’t given it to the kids yet though.
How do you eat them? I do as Ramona suggested: whole pod in the mouth, squeezing the beans out. You get the salt from the outside of the pod and the yummy beans from inside. Mmmm.
Love them! My friend got me hooked several years ago – I’m the only one in the family that eats them.
Sometimes the A&P has them. And people have already said Trader Joes.
Great photo of Madeline throwing her hands up! That made me smile.
The frozen edamame from Costco is great. My only complaint is the ridiculous amount of packaging (at least one the brand we get here) but the edamame comes in a paper bowl you just put in the microwave to thaw. Very tasty!
I like them too. Sometimes you can find them in the frozen section. I know in my area Harris Teeter and Publix both carries them in the freezer. I don’t know if I have ever seen them fresh.
i do ;) and isn’t she adorable!!
I just bought some at Trader Joe’s too. We love them!
Like you, I hadn’t had edamame until embarrassingly recently. I have no idea why I love them so much–it’s not like they taste of a whole lot.
But I could (and actually have) sit for hours just eating the fellas! They’re great as a healthy popcorn alternative while watching a movie!
Yes, I do!!! Love the little green gems!!
Mmmm…love edamame! I wish I could get my kids to give it a try before simply dismissing it. Someday…
YES!! It’s a favorite in my house and my 4 year old loves them the most! Funny you mention it…just last Friday, an asian friend of mine brought them as a snack to the playground and called them edadame – same pronunciation but replaced the first “m” with a “d”.
I looked at her weird and she assured me that that is the true asian pronunciation.
They are pretty easy to find at the local grocery store or Trader Joes out here so let me know if I can send some out to you!